At just 25, Tunisian-French filmmaker Kenz Benmosbah is emerging as one of a new wave of international directors shaping the future of independent cinema. Her debut feature, I Think She Hates Me — a romantic comedy told across dual timelines — is currently in active development and has already attracted producers in Los Angeles, Paris, and Tunis. Even before cameras roll, the film is being positioned as an international project blending humor, heartbreak, and cross-cultural storytelling.
Benmosbah began her journey at the Manarat Film Festival in Tunis, working under acclaimed producing partners Dora Bouchoucha (an Academy member and pioneer of Tunisian cinema) and Lina Chaabane. Their mentorship grounded her in the Mediterranean film community and sparked her growing network of cross-border collaborators.
Her next step took her to Paris, where she managed international press for Portrait of a Lady on Fire, the 2019 Cannes Film Festival Best Screenplay winner and one of the decade’s most acclaimed French films. This role immersed her in European cinema at its highest level and connected her with producer Nadim Cheikhrouha.
Through those connections, Benmosbah contributed to Four Daughters (Les Filles d’Olfa), which earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature in 2024 — only the second Oscar nomination in Tunisia’s history.
Crossing the Atlantic, Benmosbah was accepted into the American Film Institute Conservatory, one of the world’s most selective graduate programs for filmmakers (acceptance rate ~1%).
At AFI, she co-produced and directed Dead Girl, which screened internationally at multiple festivals, including the 29th LASIFF, one of the largest Academy Award–qualifying showcases in the United States. During the same period, she directed Borders, her collaboration with award-winning Danish cinematographer Mads Fridolin Vejlby (DFF). Borders will premiere this fall at the 23rd Tallgrass Film Festival, a respected platform for bold, independent cinema.
From Tunisian festival grounds to the Cannes red carpet, from Oscar-nominated collaborations to AFI’s selective training, Benmosbah exemplifies a new generation of filmmakers reshaping independent cinema. Her career reflects an emerging trend: films conceived across borders, built by international networks, and resonating with audiences worldwide.
